Vigo County Council hears 2021 budget of $77.7M

Sep. 9--The Vigo County Council on Tuesday held its first reading of the 2021 budget Tuesday, advertised at more than $77.7 million.

The requested budget has a maximum levy -- the total amount it can raise from property taxes -- of more than $37.87 million. The county is anticipating additional revenue of more than $40.59 million for all budget funds, for a total of more than $78.46 million in revenues.

The proposed 2021 budget contains a provision for a 5% salary increase for county employees. The County Council placed the same amount in the 2020 proposed budget, but adopted a 4 percent raise in that budget's final adoption.

The council gave a 1.2 percent salary increase in 2019 and a 1 percent raise in 2018.

The budget's general fund accounts for more than $42 million of funds requested, with the county park's proposed budget at more than $1.46 million, while the county health budget is more than $1.98 million and a county reassessment fund at more than $1.05 million. The general fund, parks and health funds each are mainly supported through property taxes.

The Vigo County Council is slated to vote on a final 2021 budget Oct. 1.

In other business, the council amended a $210,000 request for building maintenance repair, instead approving $131,238.

The initial request for was reimbursement for expenses related to a malware attack in July, 2019.

"We had to spend more than $300,000 for the courthouse and we have turned that cost over to insurance. We have received some [funds], but not all," said Vigo County Commissioner Brad Anderson, as commissioners moved money from funds such as liability insurance to cover expenses.

Vigo County Attorney Michael Wright said the courthouse's HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system had been controlled by a single laptop computer, which was rendered useless by the computer malware attack. The computer regulated cooling and heat to all courtrooms.

However, vent control boxes for that system, which regulates air conditioning, were no longer made, requiring the county to install a new system and rewire the county courthouse. The new system is not longer controlled by a single laptop computer, Wright said. Insurance claims for that work has not been paid as insurance has argued it was not reasonable to have anticipated all of the county's HVAC system linked to a single laptop.

Additionally, the council approved a $10,000 request for the county's juvenile justice center, from its non-reverting fund for institutional supplies. The detention center is required to provide clothing and shoes for all juveniles when detained. The center, which had bleached white clothing, intends to move to a blue uniform to lower the use of bleach and costs.

In other business, Green Leaf Inc., which designs and manufacturing injection molded nylon and polypropylene liquid handling products, is seeking tax abatement for an expansion of its facility in Fontanet. The company plans to expand its current facility from 45,000 square feet to 90,000 square feet, adding 20 new employees.

The $2.1 million project includes $300,000 in new equipment, plus $1.8 million in expansion of its warehouse.

Pete Goda, company president, told the council the jobs would pay between $12 to $17 an hour. Goda told the council the company currently has 104 employees, with a majority having nine years of experience. The company currently has between 20 and 25 employees in the $12 to $14 range, with the majority of workers in the $15 to $17 per hour range.

The company offers health insurance that is either a health savings account (HSA) or preferred provider organization (PPO), with the company paying between 60 to 75 percent of costs, as well as a 401k retirement plan plus vacation and person time.

For an employee earning $15 an hour, plus benefits of health insurance, 401K, personal/vacation, plus a bonus program, the employee actually receives $23.74 an hour, Goda told the council.

Reporter Howard Greninger can be reached 812-231-4204 or [email protected]. Follow on Twitter@TribStarHoward.

___

(c)2020 The Tribune-Star (Terre Haute, Ind.)

Visit The Tribune-Star (Terre Haute, Ind.) at tribstar.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.